Up to five guys have been rotated in as options to return kicks in 2024 Special teams have been a constant spot of consternation for Florida Football fans over the past couple of seasons. Between the inability to get 11 players on the field with consistency and the insistence to fair catch the ball even when they do get everyone on the field, Florida didn’t have a player in the top 100 for yards per punt return or yards per kick return in 2023. With new special teams guru Joe Houston on staff, combined with some under-the-radar explosive players, the Gators are hoping 2024 will be the year they can finally get some long returns. Florida Football: Be More Special
Billy Napier was questioned about special teams and who he has in mind for kick returns in 2024 during his news conference on Monday. Napier stated that at least five players were in the race to fill the role.
“It’s very competitive. Chim Dike, Tre Wilson, Tank Hawkins, Montrell’s, and Jadan Baugh all worked back there. That’s a punt return. Jadan Baugh has some kick return work ahead of him. Obviously, Tank and Mizell, I believe if we ran out there today, we would have alternatives.
It’s crucial to remember that as a returner, the most important thing is to secure the ball and ensure it gets to the offence, right? Your decision-making and communication skills are perhaps the most critical.
Except for ball security and your ability to make sound decisions in the moment and communicate with other players. I believe the kick and punt returners have a duty to do. We have some good players who can do it well, and we also have some great players who need to work in those areas.” If we read between the lines and consider what Napier stated after naming five guys, Tank Hawkins and Aidan Mizell look to be the two players he wants to start with.
It makes sense, given that Chimere Dike, Tre Wilson, and Jadan Baugh will all be in the major offensive rotation. Conventional wisdom suggests that you want someone
Outside of that rotation, return kicks to reduce injury risks and simplify the unit in special teams. Hawkins and Mizell are explosive players capable of breaking a huge one. However, as Napier mentions decision-making and ball security, both are freshman, and the position requires a learning curve in college. Wilson, for example, fielded a punt inside the ten and lost yards in last year’s opener against Utah.
As with many positions on Florida’s roster, we won’t know for certain whether Hawkins and Mizell are the correct options until we watch them play. However, given their upside, the Gators could have chosen worse candidates.
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